A man has appeared in court accused of having almost 40,000 illegal cigarettes after one of the biggest tobacco seizures in Plymouth’s history.

Michael Lock, aged 64, is charged with having 67.5 kilograms of hand-rolling tobacco and 39,480 cigarettes without paying the import duty.

More than 30,000 of those cigarettes were fakes of the well-known Mayfair brand, a court heard.

Many packets of tobacco and cartons of cigarettes allegedly did not carry the health warnings which are mandatory under UK law.

Lock faced Plymouth magistrates to answer eight charges after a seizure on March 3 last year – which the city council says was one of the biggest in its history.

The fake Mayfair cigarettes were seized (Image: Stock image)

He faces two charges stating that he was knowingly concerned in keeping goods, adding up to 67.5 kilograms of hand-rolling tobacco and 39,480 cigarettes, without paying the duty, with intent to defraud the Government.

Lock must also answer two counts of possessing in total 1,690 packets of 20 cigarettes – adding up to 33,800 – bearing fake Mayfair logos, which is a trademark of manufacturers Gallaher Ltd.